Demoted!
by sunshinelexi
Summary: In this original story based on Naruto, a cold hearted assassin with a bad attitude is forced to teach a team of genin. Discontinued. Adopted by Echo Uchiha.
1. Crime and Punishment

Disclaimer: I don't own the concepts of ninjas or jutsus or chakra, and I don't own the show Naruto either.

Chapter One: Crime and Punishment

"I'm very disappointed in you Masako. What were you thinking? Your team was counting on you to bring them home alive, and you failed them. All so you could bag the prize for yourself."

As usual, Masako Suzahara paid the Mizukage no mind. She made no effort to conceal her boredom, tapping her fingertips impatiently on the Mizukage's desk and staring out the window listlessly. _I wish he'd shut up already_, she thought. As far as Masako was concerned, the worst part of her job was having to put up with the old man Mizukage's bothersome speeches about teamwork. After all this time, he should know that she worked more efficiently on her own. Teammates only slowed her down.

After a while, Masako became aware that the Mizukage had stopped speaking, and was fixing her with a stern glare.

Masako met his gaze calmly. "I did what was necessary, Mizukage-sama. Sometimes sacrifices must be made for the greater good."

"I refuse to allow innocent shinobi to be murdered for your personal benefit!" the Mizukage yelled, slamming his fist down on his desk for emphasis. The force of the blow knocked over a bottle of ink, ruining the pile of papers that awaited the Mizukage's signature.

However, Masako was unfazed. She looked back at the Mizukage of the Village Hidden in the Mist with a bland face and a plastic smile. "Thanks to me, Kisame Hoshigaki, an S-class criminal and a dangerous enemy of our village is dead."

Masako smirked, almost daring the Mizukage to refute her statement. She was secure in the knowledge that she would get away with no more than a slap on the wrist, as usual. After all, she was the best of the best when it came to assassination missions, and the village needed her.

Thus, the Mizukage's next words came as a complete surprise. "You are an excellent kunoichi, Masako, there's no doubt about it. As you say, you truly are the best of the best. However, your callous disregard for human life has made you a liability for this village. Therefore, I have no choice but to reassign you."

Masako jumped up in astonishment, knocking over her chair. She stared at the Mizukage incredulously, blue eyes widened in shock. "You have got to be kidding! You can't demote me! I'm the only decent ninja among the useless nincompoops and fools you call ANBU!"

The Mizukage looked at Masako calmly, and continued his speech as if nothing had happened. "As of today, your new job will be to serve as sensei to a squad of three genin. You are to teach them everything they need to know about becoming ninja. Am I understood?"

"Yes, I understand" Masako replied. Although she struggled to keep her expression neutral, barely concealed resentment was easily readable in her gaze.

"Good. You are dismissed."


	2. A Step in the Wrong Direction

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, but I do own these characters.

By the way, I have NOT stopped writing Where the Wind Blows, I just have writers block on it at the moment.

Chapter Two: A Step in the Wrong Direction

Masako Suzahara stalked out of the Mizukage's office, her mouth set in a tight line. The Mizukage's aide quickly jumped out of her way, not wishing to run afoul of Masako while she was in a temper. He had overheard many unpleasant rumors about Masako and knew that she was not a kunoichi to be trifled with.

After she had left the Mizukage's headquarters, Masako continued to walk at a brisk pace towards the outer limits of the Hidden Mist Village. Most of the villagers paid her no mind, but the few shinobi who knew Masako well exchanged significant looks. Something about the cold determination in her intense blue eyes or the way her raven-colored hair bobbed about her shoulders warned them that a storm was coming. Masako ignored them, leaving the village through its sparsely-guarded back entrance.

Suddenly, Masako veered left off the path and began to make her way through the nearby woods. Before long, she reached a small clearing. The peaceful sounds of the forest coupled with the familiar sight of the small pond surrounded by Sakura trees seemed to calm Masako slightly. Masako sighed and leaned against one of the trees, sliding down the trunk until she was seated firmly upon the damp forest floor. Reaching into her shirt, Masako pulled out a small pendant that glimmered faintly in the spotty sunlight.

Had it really happened? Had the Mizukage finally kicked her out of the ANBU black ops?

_He's jealous of you,_ a small voice spoke inside of Masako's head. _He is but a man- while you are so much more. Perhaps you should do away with him now, while you have the chance._

_Shut up!_ Masako thought.

_Oh yes, I forgot. You actually care about the village. How sweet- especially since they don't seem to give a damn about you._ The voice persisted.

Suddenly, Masako heard a twig snap somewhere above her head. She swore, jumping to her feet and hastily taking off into the woods. In a moment, she came to a small cottage. Masako quickly opened the door to the cottage and headed for the bedroom at the back. Everything appeared to be in order- her bed was made and her shoes and clothes were piled neatly in drawers as she left them. However, something felt terribly wrong. Heart beating with trepidation, Masako removed the mirror above her bedstand and reached into the shallow compartment behind it. Her hand met with naught but air. With a cry of frustration and rage, Masako flung her mirror to the floor and flew over to her closet. When she looked inside, her worst fears were confirmed. Both her ANBU mask and her ANBU uniform were missing. Masako knew that they would be burned, along with the attire of all the other shinobi who weren't fit to be ANBU.

Masako sang onto her bed, tears flowing freely down her pale cheeks. She clenched her hands into fists, so tightly that her nails left crescent shaped lines of blood in her palms. _How dare he do this to me?_ She thought. _He knew… all this time… my mask was all I had left. The only way that I could hide the pain and feel as if I belonged…_

_Oh yes, we are going to make he pay aren't we?_ The voice spoke again, more loudly this time. _No one crosses us, not even the Mizukage._


	3. Ninja Dreams

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, but I do own Masako, Daisuke, Koname, and company.

When I published this the first time, I forgot I made the rather large oversight of not giving Ronin a last name. This has been corrected on chapters 3 and 4.

Chapter Three: Ninja Dreams

Even before Koname Yukino entered the classroom, she could hear snitches of animated conversation. Classroom Three of the Ninja Academy was charged with nervous excitement, the students even more rowdy than usual. There was a good reason for this, of course. Yesterday, the students of classroom three had been tested to determine whether or not they were worthy to become genin. Those who had passed had come back to the classroom one last time in order to receive their headbands and to be assigned to a squad for the next phase of their training.

As usual, Koname was the last to arrive. There was only one seat left- between Aiko Misawa and Kyoto Wasabe. Koname sighed inwardly. She didn't particularly care for either of the girls. Aiko was spoiled and snobbish, while Kyoto was caluculating and manipulative. Unfortunately, there was no other option. Shoko, the woman who babysat Koname's younger siblings, had once again neglected to show up on time. Koname had no other option but to keep her seven brothers and sisters occupied while Shoko flirted with her boyfriend on the street corner. Not that she minded. Koname loved children, especially her younger siblings. But _just once,_ she thought. _It would be nice to be able to sit by Daisuke_. Even though energetic Daisuke Imamoto was a bit of a loose canon, he was Koname's best friend nevertheless. Aiko and Kyoto frequently ostracized Daisuke for his poor memory and laughable chakra control, but the rest of the class loved him. Daisuke put all his effort into everything he attempted, and his quirky sense of humor and optimistic outlook were infectious.

Catching Koname's eye, Daisuke smiled at her reassuringly. Koname smiled back and put her books down on the desk between Kyoto and Aiko. However, as she moved to sit down, Aiko shot her a dirty glare. "What do you think you're doing? That's Jin Jiroshi's seat."

"Jin?" Koname's brown eyes widened in amazement. "But I thought he didn't pass."

Jin Jiroshi was a tall, good looking boy. Many of the girls in Classroom Three fancied him. Unfortunately, all the attention had gone to Jin's head, and he had neglected to prepare for the big exam.

"Didn't you hear?" Kyoto said, eyes alight with mock sincerity. "They put in a test for timeliness. Before you arrived, the sensei told us that whoever was late to class for the exam would be set back another year. Apparently one of the genin who failed will take their place."

Koname frowned uncertainly. "I don't believe you." 

Before either Kyoto or Aiko could say anything more, their sensei entered the classroom. Koname's sensei was a tall, imposing chuunin with blond hair and blue eyes named Seiichi Nakamura.

"Settle down, settle down" Seiichi addressed the class. "Take a seat please Yukino-san."

"You mean I didn't fail?" Koname asked.

"Of course not, you wouldn't have been called back if you had failed" Seiichi-sensei replied. "Whoever told you that?"

"N-No one." Koname whispered. She sank into her chair, cheeks burning with shame. She could hear Kyoto and Aiko laughing quietly behind her back.

Seiichi turned back to address the entire class. "Before I send you off into the world, I have a few final words of wisdom to impart to you in my last moments as your teacher. First, I want to say that I feel very privileged to have been your teacher. I know that you have all worked very hard for this moment. Some harder than others." It gave Koname some satisfaction when she noticed that he was staring pointedly at Kyoto and Aiko as he said this. "Today is the day you have all been waiting for- the day you become genin. I will place you into teams of three and you will each receive a Hidden Mist Village headband. Team One: Yoshi Kiriwashi, Sakura Hiroshi, and Takuto Yamanaka. Team Two: Aiko Misawa, Kyoto Wasabe, and Kosuke Tsuchi. Team Three: Daisuke Imamoto, Koname Yukino, and Ronin Kobayashi."

Upon hearing the team assignments, Koname's heart lept. She was with Daisuke! But who was their third teammate? The name didn't sound familiar. She and Daisuke went up to receive their headbands, along with a tall boy with while hair and blue eyes. Looking at him again, Koname realized that she vaguely recognized him as the quiet boy who sat in the back of the classroom and never said a word to anyone.

As Ronin turned to look at her, Koname felt a sudden chill. She shivered slightly, but met his gaze. _He's a little creepy_, she thought.


	4. Worst Impressions

Disclaimer: If you think I own Naruto, you're wrong.

Chapter 4: Worst Impressions

After Seiichi sensei had read the team assignments, he instructed each team to wait outside for their sensei. One by one, the sensei collected their genin, until Team Three was the only team still waiting by the academy.

"Isn't it a little inconsiderate of Masako-san to make us wait for her like this?" Koname asked, thinking of Shoko.

"Nah, she's only a little late" Daisuke defended Masako. "And besides, she's going to be the best sensei ever! She's really been there you know? She's fought real fights, not just practice matches! I can't believe we're going to be trained by a real black ops assassin!"

"Eh, I bet she's nothing special" Ronin said, leaning against a tree. "What kind of a ninja can't even show up to a meeting on time?" 

Without warning, a figure dropped from the tree above and held a knife to Ronin's neck.

"The kind that prefers to watch and wait. By the way, you need to work on sensing chakra," said the woman, releasing Ronin and surveying him with disgust. Ronin looked steadily back at her, taking the woman by surprise.

"Wow! That was amazing!" Daisuke exclaimed. "Are you Masako-sensei?" 

Masako gave a curt nod and eyed Daisuke warily. "Are you Ronin Kobayashi or Daisuke Imamoto?"

"I'm Daisuke, that's Ronin over there." He replied.

Masako turned her gaze to the only other kunoichi in the group. "And you must be Koname Yukino?" 

Koname nodded.

"Right. Now all of you follow me."

Masako led the three genin along a narrow dirt pathway that penetrated deep into the woods. She stopped at a small glade, incidentally the same place where she had stopped to collect herself the day she learned she was no longer an ANBU.

"Here is where we will begin your training," Masako stated, addressing the three young ninja in front of her. "In the academy, you were taught how to suspend yourself from a branch using chakra, correct?" 

All three genin nodded.

"I would like you to demonstrate that technique for me now."

It was all Daisuke could do to contain his excitement. Using chakra to climb trees was one of his favorite exercises. At first, he had been noticeably poor at it. As a young child, Daisuke had been unable to sit still long enough to learn concepts such as concentration and focus. After years of extensive practice, however, Daisuke finally mastered the exercise. What's more, Daisuke never forgot what it was like to climb a tree with chakra for the first time. He remembered looking down at the ground far below and thinking that he had been transported into a different world, far removed from the trials and tribulations of an ordinary existence.

Pushing thoughts of his past out of his mind, Daisuke sent chakra down to the soles of his feet and began to climb the tree directly in front of him. Within seconds, he was hanging upside-down from one of the middle branches, with Ronin and Koname on either side of him. Meanwhile, Masako sat down on the grass underneath a tree and began to read a book. If Daisuke had been a bit more observant, this might have struck him as odd. As it was, Daisuke was perfectly content to hang from a branch and look down upon his own private world.

Seconds lengthened into minutes. A half hour into the exercise, Daisuke began to wonder why Masako-sensei wasn't calling them down to work on something else.

"Masako-sensei?" he asked.

Masako snapped her book shut in obvious irritation. "What is it?" she inquired, looking at Daisuke coldly.

Daisuke gulped, suddenly afraid. He was sure he knew the answer to his question without needing to ask, but he decided to try anyway. "Are- are you going to let us down now?" he questioned hopefully.

Masako laughed, but it was a bitter laugh, full of malice. "You'll come down when I say you can come down and not a minute before. Oh and by the way, whoever who leaves their spot without my permission can return to the academy. Anyone who can't even handle this simple exercise doesn't deserve to call themself a shinobi," Masako said, looking steadily at Daisuke.

Minutes turned into hours. Two hours into the exercise, Daisuke was beginning to feel fatigued. It took a lot of effort to keep a steady flow of chakra streaming into his feet, yet Daisuke knew that to fall from this height would mean certain death.

Looking to his right, Daisuke saw that Koname looked worse than he felt. She was oddly pale, and sweat was running down her face. Daisuke worried that she might fall at any moment.

"Masako-sensei, please let Koname down." Daisuke pleaded. "She's had enough."

Without even looking up from her book Masako said. "Koname may come down if she wishes. But if she does so, she will forfeit her status as a genin."

Daisuke was shocked. He couldn't believe that anyone could be so cruel. He knew that there was no way in hell that Koname would give up now. She had wanted to be a shinobi even longer than he had. It was her way of proving herself to those who considered her weak. And above all, it was her way of fighting back against the disease that ravaged her body.

Koname had been born with unusually weak lungs. When she emerged out of her mother's womb, her breaths had been so shallow and labored, the doctors had not been sure if she would survive. To this day, Daisuke knew that she would cough and gasp for air if pushed past the limit of her physical endurance. Yet, she was determined to become a kunoichi, and nothing and no one could stop her.

Daisuke opened his mouth to protest, but he was silenced by Koname.

"Daisuke, shut up." she said. "I'm-"

What she was, they would never know, for Koname suddenly began coughing uncontrollably. She started trembling, gasping for air between each hacking cough.

Daisuke swung himself upright so that he was standing on top of his branch. "Koname.." he began, looking at her with concern evident in his large brown eyes. "Are you all right?"

Daisuke got an answer to his question immediately, though not in the way he had been expecting. For at that moment, Koname fell from her branch.

Without a thought for himself, Daisuke jumped from his branch. He prayed that he could reach Koname in time.

Daisuke caught up to Koname perilously close to the ground. Together, they fell through a thick network of branches onto the grass below. Daisuke landed first, with Koname on top of him. Ignoring the painful scratches that covered his chest, legs, and back, Daisuke sat up and took Koname into his arms. He sighed with relief when he saw her chest rise and fall and heard her faint breathing. _She's all right- just unconscious_, he thought. Preoccupied with Koname, Daisuke barely even noticed Ronin gracefully jump down from his branch.

Daisuke stood up, cradling his friend and teammate in his arms. _I need to bring her to the hospital,_ he thought.

Masako closed her book and stood up as well. "Where are you going?" she asked Daisuke pointedly.

"I'm going to bring her to the hospital." Daisuke replied, looking down so that Masako would not see the hatred in his eyes. The awe and admiration that Daisuke had initially felt for the infamous former ANBU had long since dried up, leaving cold hatred in its place. _As our sensei, she is supposed to be looking after us,_ Daisuke thought. _But she seemed perfectly willing to let us die on those branches._

"Fine, but go back to the academy when you're done. You aren't fit to be a shinobi."

Daisuke could feel his anger rising. "And you aren't fit to be a sensei, making us hang upside down from those branches until we either fell or gave up on becoming shinobi. What kind of a choice is that?"

Masako's face remained coldly impassive. "You should have stayed on your branch."

"If I hadn't moved, she would have died!" Daisuke yelled.

"Then let her die. It is the way of the world. The weak die and the strong survive. You aren't doing anyone any favors by acting the hero."

"Takashi was wrong about you." Daisuke said quietly. "You aren't an amazing ANBU officer and exceptionally skilled kunoichi, you're just a selfish and bitter old lady."

Masako smirked. "Old? I'm only 26."


	5. Remembrance

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. Plain and simple. Now read the story. 

Chapter 5: Remembrance

Without another word, Daisuke turned on his heel and left, his sandals carving light impressions into the dirt path below. Ronin and Masako watched as Daisuke's retreating form became smaller and smaller, finally disappearing altogether.

Without looking at Ronin, Masako asked, "Aren't you going with them?" 

"Why should I? I don't know them." Ronin replied.

Masako sensed that at last she had found another who shared her ninja way.

"That is wise. Relationships and foolish sentiments only serve to distract ninja from their duties. If you wish to be truly strong you must rely on no one but yourself." Masako said.

Ronin was silent. He knew this all too well.

"Now return to your place in the tree before I fail you as well."

Ronin bowed slightly and did as he was told.

Masako sighed and returned to skimming through her book of ninja training tactics. _At least I have one student who isn't a complete failure, _she thought.

Meanwhile, Daisuke stumbled along the path to the village, holding Koname to him as if she were the anchor that tethered his spirit to the world. Which, in a way, she was. Daisuke was thoroughly exhausted from Masako's training exercise, and it took all his remaining energy to bring Koname to the hospital. When Daisuke arrived at the hospital, he handed Koname to the receptionist and mumbled something about her needing immediate medical attention. Then, he collapsed into one of the chairs in the waiting room, telling himself he only needed to rest for a minute. When he awoke, it was past midnight.

Daisuke opened one eye. He was lying on a soft mattress, pressed between two cotton bed sheets. Had he fallen asleep here? No… he vaguely remembered resting in one of the chairs in the waiting room. The hospital staff must have carried him here.

Daisuke heard the sound of soft voices conversing nearby- a doctor and a nurse, he thought. Straining his ears, Daisuke could barely make out what they were saying.

"-came in a little after six, bruised and exhausted, with cuts and scrapes all over his body. He was carrying the girl in the next room."

_Koname. _Daisuke bolted upright, ignoring the aching pain he felt in every bone in his body.

"Is she all right?" he asked loudly.

The doctor and nurse immediately stopped talking amongst themselves and stared at Daisuke.

"The girl who came with me, is she all right?" Daisuke persisted, lifting the corner of his bed sheet and swinging his feet down to the floor.

The nurse recovered first. "Oh no dear, you shouldn't be up. You need to rest now," she said.

"Your friend will be fine," the doctor added.

However, Daisuke was far from satisfied. "I want to see her," he said stubbornly.

"I'm afraid that will not be possible," the nurse said. She was a slight woman, with short brown hair and kind, motherly blue eyes. She flitted around Daisuke's bed nervously, fussing over him as if he were her own offspring.

"I need to see her!" Daisuke repeated, his voice rising in anger.

"You can go visit your friend later, right now you need to rest," the nurse said firmly. She tried to tuck him in under the covers, but Daisuke fought her with every ounce of strength he had left.

Unfortunately, Daisuke had forgotten about the doctor. Daisuke felt a sharp prick followed by a curiously heavy sensation as the doctor sedated him. His grip on the nurse relaxed and he fell into a deep sleep.

In his dream, Daisuke saw himself returning home from the ninja training academy. He half walked, half ran along the path to his house, a wide grin plastered across his face. He felt as if he were about to burst with energy and excitement. Today was the day! He had finally graduated from the academy after failing twice. His family would be so proud of him, especially his older brother Takashi. When everyone else had thought he was hopeless, when Daisuke himself had begun to doubt that he had what it takes to become a ninja, Takashi had believed in him. Daisuke loved his brother with his heart and soul, and he could not wait to show Takashi the shiny new forehead protector he wore as proof of his success.

However, as Daisuke neared his house, he sensed something was wrong. He heard unfamiliar voices coming from the house, intermingling with those of his parents. The one voice he didn't hear was Takashi's. _That's strange._ Daisuke thought. _Takashi should have returned from his mission by now._

Looking in the window, Daisuke saw two somber looking ANBU dressed in black. They were sitting in the dining room, talking to his parents. His mother's face was red, as if she had been crying, and his father looked stricken. A black cloth covered something on the dining room table.

"-Itachi Uchiha and his partner Kisame Hoshigaki," The taller of the two ANBU was saying.

"I suppose there'll be a burial?" Daisuke's mother, Harumi, asked dully.

"All the ANBU who died in the raid will be honored this coming Sunday. Takashi will be laid to rest with the others," the shorter ANBU replied.

The taller of the two ANBU stood up and put a comforting hand of Harumi's shoulder. "You should be proud of your son. He fought with honor and died a hero."

As this, Harumi broke down sobbing. Daisuke's father, Satoshi took her into his arms to comfort her.

Meanwhile, Daisuke listened with growing horror. _No_, he thought. _It can't be. My brother_ can't _be… dead._

"You should take him away." Satoshi said quietly, gesturing at the corpse on the table. "I don't want Daisuke to see his brother like this."

The taller ANBU nodded, saying, "I'm sorry for your loss. I knew Takashi well, and this village has never seen a better shinobi or a better man."

"Thank you. Your words mean a lot to me." Satoshi said.

The taller ANBU bowed to Daisuke's father and began to lift Takashi off the table.

"NOOOOOO!!!!!" the cry burst forth from Daisuke like the dying moan of a wounded animal. Throwing caution to the wind, Daisuke burst into the house, ran to the table, and lifted the shroud covering the body. Despite everything he had overheard, Daisuke still retained some foolish hope that there had been a mistake, that his brother was somehow still alive. Either way, he had to see for himself.

For a minute, time stopped. Daisuke stared at the lifeless body of his older brother. Takashi looked the same as he always did, save for the large wound in his chest and the dazed, vacant look in his eyes. One by one, Daisuke's tears fell onto Takashi's fatal wound, salt water mixing with blood.

"Onii-san…" Daisuke whispered.

The taller, more talkative ANBU came up behind Daisuke and put his hand on the young man's shoulder. "It's all right son, we'll take it from here."

Daisuke stood there numbly as the two ANBU carried his brother's corpse out of the house. He watched as they disappeared into the sunset, the sun swallowing them whole.


	6. Unknown Legacy

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto but I do own Ronin Kobayashi and his super awesome bloodline limit.

Chapter 6: Unknown Legacy

Deep in the forest surrounding the Hidden Mist Village, a solitary raindrop fell from the sky and coalesced upon the nose of a fourteen year old boy hanging upside down from a tree. More raindrops soon followed, like an army sent to reinforce a solitary scout. Ronin closed his eyes and welcomed the rain. He let it wash over him, blissfully erasing his doubts and fears, sins and sacrifices. For him, there was no other option.

Ever since he could remember, Ronin had been completely alone. He knew he must have parents, he simply had no idea who they were or how to find them. When he passed someone on the street that looked a bit like him, and given his rather strange appearance that did not occur often, he would wonder "Is that my mother or father?" But, of course, there was no way to find out.

He had been abandoned in the woods as a small child. Ronin knew the story well, as the Kobayashis were quite fond of repeating it. They constantly sought to remind Ronin that he was not one of them, and that he would certainly have starved to death without their generosity. Hideaki Kobayashi, Ronin's foster father, had gone to the forest to chop wood for his family.

It had been an unusually stormy night for the temperate climate, with winds howling in fury and trees swaying in the gale.

Hideaki had just finished chopping up the wood and was about to hurry back to the safety of his home when he heard a cry that cut through the deafening roar of the storm. The sound, Hideaki quickly realized, was none other than a baby's cry. Hideaki hesitated, looking from his house to the direction of the sound, to his house again. After an agony of indecision, Hideaki put down his bundle of wood and stumbled toward the sound, grumbling under his breath. When he reached the freezing and sopping wet bundle that was Ronin, Hideaki had unceremoniously slung the baby over his shoulder and traipsed back through the woods toward his house.

When Hideaki reached this part of the tale, his wife Risa would always pat him on the arm and tell him what a good, kindheated, man he was. Then she would tell Ronin that she had wanted Hideaki to put Ronin back where he had found him. "Another mouth to feed," she would sneer.

Aside from being occasionally singled out as an unpleasant burden, Ronin passed through most of his childhood unnoticed. However, that quickly changed after Ronin accidentally activated his bloodline limit, the Haishougan.

It had happened on a day much like any other, save one important difference. On that day, two years ago, Ronin had asked to go to the market to buy supplies for the Kobayashis rather than work in the fields of the Kobayashi farm. Normally Risa Kobayashi went to market to purchase the family's supplies, but it just so happened that Hideaki and Risa's son Rafu was ill. Therefore, Risa decided to stay home with her son and send Ronin to market instead.

The first thing that Ronin noticed about the Village Hidden in the Mist was the noise. It was, Ronin thought, rather more noisy than he would have expected for such a small village. The shouts of children playing in the street were raucous, and the cries of the vendors hawking their wares were deafening. Ronin could even hear the sound of a beetle scuttling along the dirt road at his feet, as clearly as if the bug were talking to him. Ronin rubbed his aching temples with the palm of his hand. All the noise was giving him a splitting headache.

Despite his pain, Ronin was gradually able to perceive the villagers staring at him strangely. He noticed one group of children about his age stop whispering amongst themselves as he approached. They began to whisper even more animatedly after he passed. One little girl even grabbed her mothers hand and pointed up at him saying, "Mommy look at his EARS!"

"Hush Anko," the girl's mother said. "Its not polite to stare."

_Though it is rather odd…_The last words seemed to come from nowhere, almost as if they materialized out of the air around Ronin, though they were spoken in the mother's tone of voice.

Ronin began to panic upon hearing this exchange. "Wait!" he shouted. "What's wrong with my ears?"

But the girl and her mother had already gone, and Ronin's words only served to aggravate his headache even more.

Clutching his head, Ronin stumbled into an alley and caught sight of his reflection in a shop window. What he saw stopped him in his tracks. His ears seemed to have grown quite a bit, yet stranger still was the lack of bones and cartilage. It was if all the skin and bone around his ears was pushed back into a thin wall, enlarging his ear canal ten times the size of a normal human's.

_What's happening to me? _Ronin thought. However, he did not just think the words, rather he heard them as well. They seemed to materialize out of thin air as the woman's last words had.

_Can I hear… people's thoughts?_

With a jangle of bells that seemed louder than a rushing waterfall to Ronin's sensitive ears, two men emerged from a nearby pub. They both wore the Hidden Mist Village shinobi headband and they carried shuniken, kunai, and other shinobi paraphernalia.

Upon seeing Ronin, one of the men nudged the other and pointed to Ronin. "Could that be…."

"The kekkai genkai?" the other responded. "Surely not."

_How odd. The boy appears to possess the Haishougan, a rare and powerful kekkai genkai_, one shinobi thought.

At the moment, Ronin fell to the floor, clutching his head and screaming in pain.

One of the shinobi knelt beside him sympathetically.

"Here," the shinobi whispered. "Copy this handsign and say 'Release'."

Numbly, Ronin did as he was told. His ears went back to normal and his headache abated somewhat.

"Now," the shinobi said. "What's your name?"

"Ronin Kobayashi," Ronin said.

"Hmm.." the shinobi frowned thoughtfully and scratched his chin. "I don't recall teaching a student by that name… do you Masahito-san?"

The shinobi named Masahito shook his head.

"I don't-I don't attend the shinobi training academy…" Ronin whispered.

The nameless shinobi's eyes widened. "Then you should start at once! Your talent is far too great to be wasted!"

"I-I don't think my family would like that…"Ronin began. "They need my help in the fields."

"Rubbish!" the shinobi said. "Any family would be proud to have a son who is a fine shinobi!"

Ronin thought to protest that he was not truly related to the Kobayashis, but decided to keep silent. It was not wise to change the course of a river once its path was set. To Ronin, it seemed much easier to simply float along with the current.

As Ronin predicted, the Kobayashis were not particularly pleased to give up their one and only source of slave labor. However, the shinobi was very insistent, so the Kobayashis gave in eventually.

"After all, we have our good name to uphold." Risa pointed out. "We don't want the villagers to think that we are keeping our precious Ronin from his duty to defend the village."

_More like you want to get rid of me,_ Ronin thought. _And since when was I 'precious' to you?_

However, he said nothing. Ronin did not speak until the man was about to leave, and then only to ask him for his name.

The shinobi smiled slightly.

"My name is Seiichi Nakamura, but you may call me Nakamura-sensei."

According to an online Japanese-English dictionary, Haishou means to listen or hear. Therefore, I used the word "haishougan" to mean a bloodline that enhances the bearer's sense of hearing, much as the Sharingan and Byakugan enhance the bearer's sense of sight.

*Important: I know the Hidden Mist Villagers are acting out of character, but this occurs several years after they kicked out Haku and Zabuza, so they have become more tolerant for the purposes of my story.


	7. All For Love

Disclaimer: I don't own the exceedingly awesome manga and anime series Naruto. I do own these characters though.

Chapter 7: All for Love

"Is she going to be all right?"

The question was posed by an anxious-looking middle aged man with dusty brown hair flecked with gray and soft brown eyes.

The doctor sighed with an air of long-suffering. "I think so. I managed to replenish her airflow and stop her from going into cardiac arrest, but she's going to have to be more careful from now on. Her condition will not permit this type of reckless behavior."

The first man bristled. "Don't think I haven't tried to stop her. Ever since her mother's death… she is all that I've had left. She simply will not listen to reason. She is determined to become a kunoichi, no matter what the cost."

The doctor bowed to the man in apology. "Forgive me Ojiro-san. It is not my place to question how you run your household."

The man waved the apology away. "Think nothing of it, Miroko-san."

Suddenly, a soft moan came from the other end of the room. The two men instantly ceased their conversation and turned to stare at the source of the noise. A short, skinny girl with long brown hair lay peacefully upon a bed in the far corner. As the men watched, the girl sat up slowly and rubbed the sleep out of her bright hazel eyes.

"Look, she's waking," the doctor, Miroko observed.

The man called Ojiro crossed the room in a few short strides and knelt at his daughter's bedside.

"How do you feel, my sweet?" he asked, stroking her cheek with the back of his hand.

The girl blushed slightly and knocked his hand away. "As you can see, I'm fine. You don't have to make such a fuss over me all the time!"

Scowling in annoyance, the girl swung her legs over the side of the bed, slid her feet into her sandals on the floor below and began to walk out of the room. However, her father caught her wrist and spun her around to face him.

"You are NOT fine, Koname. You had another attack yesterday and you passed out. Daisuke had to carry you here."

As this, Koname's blush deepened, as did her exasperation. _I can't believe Daisuke actually brought me to the hospital!_ she thought. _Now I'll never get to be a kunoichi_.

"Well, Daisuke should learn to mind his own business then!" she retorted aloud.

Koname's ears rang as her father slapped her across the face. Her eyes welled up with tears as she put a hand to her aching cheek.

"That's enough out of you young lady." Ojiro said sternly. "I will not allow you to disrespect Daisuke. That young man risked his life to save yours, and you repay him by insulting his name."

_He's right_, Koname thought, suddenly ashamed of her childish behavior. _Daisuke and my father did what they thought was best for me because they care about me and want to protect me. In return, I have treated them horribly._

Koname bowed in apology. "Gomen nasai, otou-san. I have behaved rashly. I know you and Daisuke care about me and want to protect me."

Ojiro's eyes softened a bit at this, and he took his daughter into his arms.

"Koname-chan… I know you want to be a kunoichi more than anything in the world. I will not ask you to give up on your dream."

Koname smiled radiantly, her eyes brimming with tears. "Do you really mean it? I can still become a kunoichi?"

Ojiro smiled back. "Of course. However," here he paused slightly. "I have taken the liberty to ask the Mizukage to change your sensei. You will no longer be studying under Masako-san. Your new sensei will be called Yuka."

Koname hugged her father tightly. Naturally, she had stopped listening after "of course."

"Arigato, Arigato Otou-san! Oh thank you so much!"

She broke out of her father's hold and bolted out the door, brimming with energy and excitement.

Her joy was so blinding, she nearly ran into a boy with short, spiky red hair and soft brown eyes.

"Koname!" the boy exclaimed. "Are you all right?"

"Better than all right! My father just gave me his permission to train as a ninja!"

The boy's face transformed into a wide grin. "That's wonderful, Koname!"

"And it's all thanks to you! Thank you for saving my life back there," Koname said quietly.

Daisuke blushed slightly, rubbing the back of his head modestly. "It was nothing, really. Anyone would have done it."

_Except Ronin and Masako_, he thought angrily.

"Come on! I want to meet my new sensei!" Koname exclaimed. She rushed out the door, grabbing Daisuke's hand and pulling him along after her.

Koname ran all the way to the training ground with Daisuke in tow. When she arrived, she was out of breath and panting slightly.

Daisuke frowned. "Koname, you just got out of the hospital. You shouldn't push yourself so hard…"

Koname paid Daisuke no mind. For once, she was too excited to tell him off for worrying too much. She had always wanted to be a beautiful and powerful kunoichi, just like her mother Kohana. However, until now, her father Ojiro had strongly disapproved of her goal. Koname had long suspected that Ojiro had tried to prevent her from following in her mother's footsteps because he had loved Kohana so and he did not want the harsh lifestyle of a kunoichi to claim another woman he held dear. From what the villagers had told her, Koname knew that Kohana had died on a mission when she was only 6 years old. Even now, 7 years later, Ojiro visited Kohana's grave every day and refused to take another woman as his wife.

Yet, after disapproving of Koname's dream for so long, Ojiro had finally relented and allowed her to train to achieve her deepest desire. Koname was so overjoyed by this sudden fortuitous turn of events, she did not think to question her father's abrupt change of mind. However, she would soon discover that all was not as it seemed.


	8. Something to Shoot For

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

Chapter 8: Something to Shoot For

Koname and Daisuke had not been waiting very long when they spotted a pair of teenage girls heading toward the training ground, talking animatedly.

"With Jin on our team, we'll win for sure!" Aiko Misawa exclaimed.

"I wouldn't be so sure. I heard there will be a lot of talented candidates this time around. After all, the Inter-village Championships are only held once every ten years." Kyoto Wasabe replied.

Daisuke and Koname exchanged a significant glance. What were Aiko and Kyoto talking about?

"Excuse me," Koname said. "But what is the Inter-village Championship?"

"Why should we bother to tell YOU?" Kyoto said, thrusting her nose into the air and sneering at Koname.

"Because I'm your new teammate," Koname replied.

"What happened to Jin? He was supposed to replace Kosuke after he left to train with his relatives in the Hidden Leaf Village." Kyoto asked, looking at Aiko in confusion.

However, it was Koname who answered. "I suppose the Mizukage thought that assigning a team to a genin who did pass the exam took precedence over assigning a team to someone who technically isn't even a genin yet."

"Why did you have to change teams in the first place? What was wrong with your sensei?" Kyoto persisted.

Koname shrugged. "I don't know. She didn't seem that bad to me."

"She didn't seem that bad to you?" Daisuke asked incredulously. "Koname, she nearly killed you!"

"I think you're being a bit overdramatic. She simply wanted to test the limits of my endurance, as a good sensei should."

Daisuke opened his mouth, then shut it again, apparently at a loss for words.

However, he recovered quickly. "Well, I'm not going to study under HER anymore, even if it means I have to study to become a chuunin all by myself!" he exclaimed, crossing his arms over his chest.

Koname sweatdropped. _He can be so stubborn sometimes…_ she thought.

Aiko turned to Daisuke. "So if you aren't on our team, what the hell are you doing- AHH!"

She jumped about a foot in the air as a short, plump, blonde woman suddenly materialized before them in a puff of smoke.

Koname coughed as smoke filled her nose and mouth. _Was that really necessary?_ Koname thought. _She could have just walked in…_

"Hello!" said the woman, beaming at Koname. "I'm Yuka Mayuka, but you can call me Yuka!"

Daisuke and Koname exchanged looks again. They were both thinking the same thing – _This woman is _weird.

"Nice to meet you, Mayuka-sensei," Koname said, bowing politely.

"A pleasure! Well, lets get started," Yuka said, clapping her hands together excitedly. "Today we are going to practice our aim. I want you each to take out your kunai and begin throwing it at the practice targets. We can't have you unprepared for the Championships, now can we?"

_The Championships again,_ Koname thought. _What are they?_

"Excuse me sensei, but what are the Championships?" Koname asked.

Yuka gasped and put a large hand to her heart. "You have never heard of the Championships before!"

Koname was beginning to get annoyed by this point. She could barely manage to keep a civil tone as she asked "No, what are they?"

"Every ten years, the Hidden Ninja villages hold a tournament called the Inter-village Championship to determine which village is militarily superior. Shinobi fight in the tournament in teams of three. Each team is matched up against a team from a different village. They progress if they win, and are eliminated from the tournament if they lose. Winning the Championship brings much honor and prestige to the winners' village. This year, however, the Championship happened to fall on the same day as the chuunin exams. In order to avoid rescheduling the exams, the village leaders decided to use genin teams for the Championship and promote the members of the winning team to chuunin," Yuka explained.

_So that's it then_, Koname thought. _I_ have _to win the Championships and prove to everyone that I _am _strong enough to become a chuunin._


	9. To Protect Another

Chapter 9: To Protect Another

"So!" Yuka said smiling. "Let's get started!"

_I'm ready_, Koname thought, her heart burgeoning with unfulfilled resolve.

"What I would like each of you to do is to throw your kunai at the practice targets," Yuka said, gesturing towards the targets in the distance.

_Is that it?_ Koname thought, disappointed. _Ah well, I guess everyone has to start somewhere._

Kyoto, Aiko, and Koname stood in a line in front of three practice targets. One by one, Kyoto and Aiko threw their kunai, each barely managing to graze the outside edge of their target.

_And they thought _I_ was pathetic_, Koname thought disdainfully.

With very little effort, Koname struck her target dead center.

Yuka Mayuka beamed and clapped enthusiastically.

"Excellent job Koname! I can tell already- you are going to be my star pupil!"

_It wasn't a very difficult exercise_, Koname thought. _Still, it's nice to be praised, for once._

"Ok!" Yuka said. "Next we are going to work on our endurance!"

_Oh no_, thought Koname. _I never was good at long runs… after a while my lungs begin to act up_.

As if guessing what Koname was thinking, Yuka said "Don't worry Koname, I won't make it too difficult for you!" 

_That's what I was afraid of_, Koname thought grimly.

"I want you all to run around the training field 3 times!" Yuka said.

It wasn't a very big area. Koname finished the three laps without breaking a sweat. However, Aiko and Kyoto arrived back at their sensei out of breath. They were obviously VERY out of shape.

Once again Yuka clapped her hands and beamed at Koname. "Great work Koname! You're going to be a great kunoichi someday!"

With those words, Koname finally figured out what Daisuke and her father were up to. A sudden and unreasonable anger flared within her, like a spark igniting dry tinder into a fierce wildfire. _They sought to placate me by allowing me to continue "training" to be a kunoichi under this joke of a sensei. They wanted to fool me into thinking I was coming closer to achieving my dream, while never allowing me to be placed in any real danger. _

Tear of bitterness and anger coalesced in Koname's eyes. "You're right," Koname said, choking on the words. "I will become a great kunoichi. But not with you as my sensei. Good bye Yuka."

With those words, Koname stalked off, leaving four shocked and confused shinobi in her wake.

Daisuke recovered first.

In a few short strides, he caught up to Koname and grabbed her arm. "Koname wait! Where are you going?"

Koname stared back at him with cold fury in her gaze. She wanted him to feel the pain she had experienced when she realized that he had betrayed her. "I'm going to find Masako-san. And don't you dare stop me," she said, wrenching her arm from his grip.

Daisuke shrank back from her glare. "Koname, what's wrong? Why are you looking at me like that?" 

"Because I trusted you to help me achieve my dream and you betrayed me!" Koname yelled, her anger, frustration, hurt, and rage erupting from her like the reawakening of a long dormant volcano.

"What are you talking about?" Daisuke asked, looking confused.

"Stop playing dumb! You were just trying to push me off to someplace safe! You never intended to give me a real chance!"

Koname's tears were flowing freely down her cheeks as she glared at Daisuke, daring him to prove her accusations weren't true.

Instead Daisuke looked down in shame. "I'm sorry Koname. Your father and I only wanted to protect you. We never meant to lose your trust…"

"Did you honestly think I was too stupid to figure it out? That I would continue "studying" under Yuka-san forever?"

Daisuke wisely said nothing, continuing to stare at the ground.

"You disgust me." Koname spat. She shot Daisuke one last look filled with pain and fury before departing into the forest.


	10. To Become the Best

Disclaimer: Naruto is not mine.

Chapter 10: To Become the Best

_All right, where are you?_

The young shinobi named Ronin Kobayashi crouched upon a tree branch, his clever blue eyes scanning the nearby foliage for any sign of his sensei. By now, he had learned that it was her habit to hide among the trees and ambush him to begin their lessons. She was testing his ability to sense chakra, a skill he had always lacked despite his bloodline limit. Even if he had been proficient at it, Masako would still have been difficult to detect. As a highly specialized elite assassination ninja, Masako was swift and silent, a veritable master of concealment. Her lessons were rigorous, her teaching style brutal, but Ronin knew that he had already improved substantially after only a week's worth of lessons.

Jolting his thoughts back to the present moment, Ronin quickly and quietly made the handsigns to activate his haishougan.

Ronin gritted his teeth against the sudden pain in his temples as the quiet forest transformed into a raucous deluge of sound. The soft rustling of leaves in the trees became a dull roar, the noises of various forest animals intermingling into a symphony of chirps, growls, and sqawks. Ronin gradually sifted through all these sounds until he managed to isolate the tap of a wooden sandal to his right. In one fluid motion, Ronin ducked and swung his sandal around to trip the intruder. Masako fell from the tree, flipping through the air gracefully, and sending chakra to her feet to land softly upon the ground.

Staring steadily at the spot where Ronin was hiding, Masako leaned against a tree and began clapping sardonically. The edges of her mouth crept upward in reluctant amusement. "Well done, my student. If you'll come down from that tree, we can begin the next phase of your training."

Ronin lept from his perch, landing softly upon the ground.

"What will you have me do?" he asked.

Rather than replying, Masako bent down and ripped a piece of fabric from her left pant leg.

She used a jutsu to quickly appear behind Ronin. Then, she fastened the piece of fabric behind his head, tying it over his eyes like a blindfold.

"Sensei?" Ronin asked.

"Right now you're good, but you're hardly the best. In order to become the best, you must maximize your potential. And in order to become the best ninja you can be, you must first master your bloodline limit," Masako said.

Ronin remained silent, waiting for Masako to explain herself further.

"I am now going to train you to master your bloodline by forcing you to fight me blindfolded, relying only on your keen sense of hearing," Masako continued. "However, this exercise is not meant to teach you to rely on your bloodline at all times- one trick ninjas die in their first battle. Am I understood?" 

Ronin nodded.

"Excellent. Then let's get started." Masako said, smirking evilly.

She suddenly appeared behind Ronin, aiming a roundhouse kick at his head. Ronin heard her approaching, but was not able to get out of the way in time. He was thrown back against a tree so hard that he felt his bones crack.

"Tsk, tsk. You can do better than that."

Even with the blindfold on, Ronin knew that Masako was shaking her head in disappointment.

"You must listen ahead of time for the first hint as to my direction of attack- if you wait to hear my attack itself, you are too late," she berated him.

Ronin nodded, and gingerly got to his feet to prepare for her next attack.

Three hours later, a bruised and battered Ronin slumped against a tree in exhaustion. Masako knelt beside him to remove his blindfold.

"You did well for the first time," she said quietly.

Ronin's eyes widened at the hint of sincere praise in her voice.

Suddenly, his body stiffened as he heard the sound of a twig breaking nearby. He exchanged a significant glance with Masako, who strangely did not seem overly concerned about the presence of an intruder.

"What do you want, Koname?" Masako asked tired.

Ronin could hear the young woman gasp in surprise. She was no doubt shocked that Masako knew her identity without seeing her face.

"I – I wanted to become your pupil once again, Masako-sensei," Koname said, emerging from the nearby bushes.

Masako said nothing. Koname hurriedly blundered on, unsure of what to say but earnest in her conviction.

"I know that I'm not very good, but I promise that I will try very hard to catch up. I will train nonstop if you wish it."

Masako walked over to Koname and stared straight into her eyes.

Koname looked down, unnerved by Masako's steady gaze. Instantly, she looked back up again, afraid she had failed some sort of test. But it was too late.

"Go home Koname. You can never be a ninja," Masako said, walking away.

"You're wrong!" Koname shouted. "None of you think I can do it, but you're wrong. I will be a ninja if it is the last thing I do!"

Masako turned back and looked at Koname for a long while. Finally she said, "If you are serious about this, you must scale that tree and hang upside down from a branch all night. If I come back in the morning and you are still there, I will allow you to be my student. But be warned, if you cheat I will know it."

"Yes sensei," Koname said faintly. Inwardly, she was despairing. _I couldn't even hang from a branch for two hours before_, she thought. _How I am supposed to make it through an entire night?_

Masako smirked and left the glade, dropping Ronin's blindfold on the forest floor as she left.


	11. Throwing It All Away

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

Chapter 11: Throwing It All Away

_Well, I better get started_, Koname thought.

In the twenty minutes that had passed since Masako had left, Koname had been trying to muster the nerve to climb the same tree she had fallen out of before.

_I can do this. I must!_ Koname thought, her unyielding resolve finally giving her the strength to climb into the tree and hang from a branch.

Forty minutes into the exercise, Koname began to feel faint. She was no longer able to send a steady stream of chakra, her chakra instead coming in bursts that left her suspended above the ground with nothing to hold her up for dizzying milliseconds. Finally, Koname could feel her chakra giving out altogether. Barely managing to swing herself up onto the branch in time, Koname clung to the tree trunk for dear life. She had never known anything like the fear that gripped her now, totally exhausted and elevated a hundred of more feet above the ground. She coughed and gasped for breath, choking on air. Everything seemed blurry and out of focus. After fifteen minutes, Koname had recovered enough to breathe normally, and her vision had cleared. Daring to look down, Koname noticed the piece of cloth Masako had left behind. She recalled that it had been used to blindfold Ronin in order to enhance his sense of hearing and his body's reaction to what he heard.

_Maybe sensei meant for me to use it to accomplish this near-impossible task_, Koname thought. _But how…._

The idea hit her as swift and sudden as an ANBU on an assassination mission. _That's it!_

Koname thought.

Slowly, but steadily, Koname climbed down the tree and picked up the piece of cloth. She then tore a piece of cloth from her own left pant leg. Finally, she pushed the last remaining bits of her chakra into the two pieces of cloth.

Climbing the tree manually was exhausting work even in the best of conditions. Koname's arms were shaking terribly by the time she arrived at the top, and she was once again gasping for air.

She stopped again to rest for a while. _I'm… almost… there…_ she thought.

Gingerly, she climbed out to the branch of the tree and began to hang upside down, channeling chakra into her feet. She quickly forced her shaking hands to tie the piece of cloth tightly around her feet. She hoped the bit of chakra she had placed into the cloth earlier would strengthen the cloth enough to hold her to the tree branch.

Holding her breath, Koname stopped channeling chakra into her feet, relying solely on the bits of cloth to keep her feet anchored to the branch. Amazingly, they held!

Koname wanted to yell in ecstasy, but was too exhausted. _Take… that…Masako…_ she thought as she drifted off to sleep.


	12. DISCONTINUED

This story has been discontinued because I wrote it when I was a "short shit" and it is rather amateurish =(.

If you want to see examples of better writing, please do read my fics "Anything" and "Watashi no Oniisan." I'm actually proud of them.


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